Kent's best spots to stargaze
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Amateur astonronomy is one of the fastest growing hobbies in
Britain - and now we can reveal the best spots in Kent to
stargaze.
This map shows where to find the county's darkest spots that
give the best chance of seeing the secrets of the night-sky.
The places in red provide the worst conditions due to light
polution, while those depicted in the darkest blue offer the
best.
Woodchurch, High Halden and Dungeness are revealed as some of
the best places in the south east to see the stars.
While light pollution spreads across much of the county,
astronomers living in the remaining dark pockets have been able to
take stunning photos from their back gardens. 
The Rosette Nebula,
around 5,000 light years away. Picture: Mark Shelley
Ashford Astronomical Society secretary Jason Hall said the group
of nearly 130 members chose Woodchurch as its base after looking at
a light pollution map.
"It's one of the darkest sites in the south east," he said. "We
picked it based on the light pollution chart. There was a large
dark spot and Woodchurch was right in the middle."
Member Steve Wellsted, 39, has been able to take amazing
pictures of the moon and huge clouds of dust and gas known as
nebulae from the village and from his back garden in Singleton.
"It's about having the right kit and conditions," he said. "In
winter you need to be out there in freezing cold weather but it can
take three hours just to get the right shot."
Another stargazer, Mark Shelley, moved to High Halden last year
after becoming frustrated with the glare of urban Sidcup.
The 51-year-old, pictured left, said: "On average I'm out
one night a week, but it's so dependent on the weather and the
phases of the moon.
"It does take a lot of practice. The main issue you've got is to
set up the telescope and mount so they follow the stars as they
move across the sky over the course of the night."
The financial analyst even surprised himself by taking a clear
photo of the International Space Station.
"I was amazed by that," he said. "I was amazed at how much
detail could be picked up."
The Orion Nebula, visible
to the naked eye in good conditions. Picture: Mark Shelley
Monday, January 23 2012
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